Pyra (IN REVISION)

Chapter 6

"Josh!" I exclaimed. He grinned.

"That's my name," he said. I punched him lightly, but a smile found it's way to my lips.

Moments before, after the shocking news, I sat there stunned as Josh told me he had biked over to my house as fast as possible. In fact, the doorbell had been the sound that woke me up out of my daze.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

" I heard the news, so I came over here as quickly as I could," he replied. His warm blue-brown eyes reflected concern. "That was something, man. I mean, I'm glad you stopped the fire, but what's going to happen now?"

"I—I don't know..." My voice cracked a bit. I swallowed, but my throat was dry. "I... I'm scared. Josh, what if they find out? What will happen to me? Will I be safe?"

"Let's just take it one step at a time." My father walked up from behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. "We'll get through this... together. I promise, honey."

I smiled, grateful for his support, but something bothered me.

"Dr. Marconi said the investigation was still going on. Does that mean they might show up at me house for an interview?" I asked Josh, tugging him towards the staircase.

Josh got the message, and we went up to lock ourselves in my bedroom, but not before I felt Dad's eyes press into my back. I could swear he was grinning at the sight of the two of us together. I hurried Josh and I quickly up the stairs, closing the door to my bedroom behind him. Josh paced the room thinking. At last, he sighed.

"I'm going to be honest with you."

I nodded. Honesty was one of our policies.

"They probably will come for an interview. When they do, tell them what you know."

"Tell them about my powers?!" I exclaimed, aghast.

"If it comes to that. But it won't. I have a plan."

"Oh?"

We're going to come up with a cover story so convincing, they'll be blown away by how logistically obvious it was, right in front of their faces! Even if you told them you could control fire, that would seem so wacky to believe, after the story you had just told them."

"And if they don't believe my explanation?" I asked ambiguously.

"They will, trust me," Josh reassured. "We'll go over every detail, leave nothing out, and make sure you know it all. If you can tell me the story and I practically believe it, then we'll be all set, so when you do admit the truth about your powers, they won't buy a word of it. I wouldn't have either if I hadn't seen it for myself. It's like hiding in plain sight!"

"Oh, Josh, you're brilliant!" I threw my arms around him. After a moment's embrace, he pulled back grinning.

"I know I am."

I punched him lightly on the arm.

"Alright, here's what I'm thinking..."

An hour later, I had my backstory: I was a poor, innocent girl just trying to help her school and got caught in the crosshairs of the political debate about her heroic acts. I had walked into the fire zone bravely, holding my breath for as long as possible, went for the fire extinguishers—I had memorized their locations from seeing them every day—but then I couldn't get them working for a bit. When I figured it out, the flames were pretty much surrounding me, but I sprayed a patch on the ground while I doused the fire around my feet, hence the circular scorch marks. Then I, sparingly, went through, spraying the fire closest to me in concentric circles. There was a sudden surge, then I put it out in one sweep and passed out from exhaustion as a result of the adrenaline loss combined with the fire and holding my breath for so long.